NASA ISS SHOCK: How strange ‘illuminating' object left Mission Control BAFFLED
NASA Mission Control was left stumbling for words after a strange object flew past the ISS, sparking wild claims from conspiracy theorists, it was revealed during a documentary.
ISS: 'Illuminating’ object flew past station reveals expert
NASA launched the STS-106 spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Centre on September 8, 2000. The object of the mission was to fly Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS) in preparation to permanently man the low-orbit satellite. However, there was one bizarre moment that fuelled wild conspiracy theories.
On September 19, 2000, at around 10:30am, Atlantis was passing over Chicago, in the state of Illinois.
During the pass-by, two bright objects were seen flying across the screen, which appeared to startle the flight controller back at Mission Control in Houston.
He said: “Atlantis is approaching sunrise as it passes the Great Lakes area.
“There’s a, there’s a view of Chicago and some, uh, ice crystals, or other items being illuminated by the rising sun.
There’s a, there’s a view of Chicago and some uh – ice crystals, or other items being illuminated by the rising sun
“Atlantis now moving into sunrise, in just about the next minute or so.
“As that occurs ice crystals that come off the shuttle becomes illuminated."
The bizarre event left conspiracy theorists, including Jeff Challender, convinced NASA had just captured something they should not have.
During Amazon Prime’s “Secret Space”, he revealed his view on how the event went down.
He said in 2017: “Just as the shuttle was passing over Chicago, two unusual objects were seen flying below.
“The first object appeared smaller and further away, but the second was very bright and moved at speed.
“Mission Control tried to zoom in and follow its progress until it was out of sight.
“Or perhaps they realised that the video goes out to the public.”
Mr Challender then went on to reveal why he believed the anomalies were not ice crystals.
NASA: ISS feed interrupted by ‘three anomalies’ claims expert
He added: “The anomalies are not ice crystals sparkling in the sun.
“The announcer even said the sun will rise in a few minutes, this proves the objects were self-luminous.
“Good one, ice in the rising sun when the sun hasn’t even risen yet.”
Mr Challender also revealed four more strange objects he spotted during the same mission, appearing to fly in formation.
Stranger still, the ISS feed was even cut during an incident in 2000, when a “pulsating anomaly” appeared to be heading towards the space station.